Joaquin Palting

Joaquin Palting is a contemporary visual artist based in Los Angeles, CA. He is known primarily for his conceptual photographic storytelling, which straddles the line between documentary and the constructed image. His photographs have appeared in numerous esteemed publications including: The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times. Joaquin is currently an MFA Candidate at the University of California, Irvine.

Demarcation

My art is rooted in the fusion of conceptualism and the documentary tradition. Through photography, and time based works, I create visual storytelling which explores human social interactions, and the convergence of memory and place.
My latest long term project is called Demarcation.

Demarcation explores the social, psychological, and philosophical ramifications of the increased infrastructure along the U.S./Mexico border. History has repeatedly shown the futility of putting physical barriers between humans, yet we continue to do so.
I was prompted to begin the Demarcation series after reading a passage from the book Politics by Aristotle.

“Man is by nature a social animal; and individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human. Society is something that precedes the individual. Anyone who cannot lead the common life, or is so self sufficient as to not to need to, and therefore does not part on society is either a beast or a god.”